


An Unexpected Visit

by hope27



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M, Meeting the Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-30
Updated: 2013-10-01
Packaged: 2017-12-28 00:54:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 21,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/985717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hope27/pseuds/hope27
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When her mother shows up in town, Felicity feels like she's barely keeping her two worlds from crashing into each other.  How can she keep the secrets she's been keeping from her parents?  And how will it effect her relationship with Oliver?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, this was born from the idea of Felicity's mother showing up at QC after Oliver returns from his five months back on the island after the Undertaking. And it grew into this monster of a fic. (I blame anthfan for the angst - I also THANK HER WITH HUGE HUGS for her support and beta of this fic.)
> 
> This fic will have two parts. The first part is from Felicity's POV, and the second will be from Oliver's. I apologize in advance for the end of this part...the next part will be posted tomorrow though!
> 
> Comments mean more than you know! Please let me know what you think! :D

As they stepped out of the elevator of Queen Consolidated onto the first floor, Felicity read off the latest email from the technology rep they were having a meeting with after lunch.

"They are recommending their premium software, but I've looked at it. It's not premium condition and we can get a better deal. But they have some good components. I could probably write a better one, but that's beside the point," she rambled as Oliver nodded to a few people they passed, cupping her elbow to lead her around a group of people.

He took the opportunity to lean down and whisper in her ear, "Does any of this stuff come close to what we have at the lair?"

She chortled, "Nope, but you don't use that stuff in a legitimate company, Oliver."

His lips ticked upwards, and she saw Diggle waiting with the car just outside the doors.

They were about to step into the entryway when she heard a voice call out from behind her. "Felicity, honey?!"

Felicity froze, and Oliver's hand on her back tensed along with her, as he moved closer out of instinct.

A flash of familiar blonde hair and jewelry caught her eyes and they widened. 

"Mom?" she breathed, feeling as though someone had just kicked her in the stomach.

"Oh, honey!" her mother shouted, coming up and wrapping her arms around her. "I'm sorry. I know I didn't give you any warning, but you haven't called in weeks and I was getting worried. You're father had a meeting in Coast City today so he dropped me off on the way. He'll pick me up around dinner time. I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to come and see you."

"Um..." Felicity started, and she heard Oliver's chest rumble and knew he was probably surprised to actually see her speechless.

"And then your father called me just a half an hour ago and said that he saw you on television standing next to Oliver Queen..." her voice trailed off as her mother saw who was, in fact, behind her, his hand still hovering near her lower back.

Suddenly, Felicity felt as if her worlds were colliding and caving in around her. She heaved a huge breath, trying to remember the last thing she'd told her mother about her life and work. It had been weeks ago. She'd been working overtime, trying to keep the IT department under control as well as renovate the lair and keep tabs on Oliver since he’d decided to disappear after Tommy’s funeral. Her life had been one giant blur to the point where one day Diggle had shown up on her doorstep and refused to let her leave stating that she needed rest, and he was going to make sure she got it.

Oliver must have sensed her discomfort because his hand moved curing along her back to splay completely against blouse, providing silent support, and at the same time moving them surreptitiously out of the way of the doors..

"Yeah, I know, Mom, I'm sorry. I should have called last weekend. It's just been a bit crazy around here..." she began, only to be cut off by her mother looking pointedly at Oliver behind her.

"Oh, right, Mom this is Oliver Queen. Oli...Mr. Queen," she quickly corrected, "This is my mother, Leslie Smoak."

By her mother's shrewd glance in her direction, she knew she'd caught her slip-up.

Oliver stuck out his hand and put on his most charming smile as he greeted her mother. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Smoak."

Her mother narrowed her eyes and nodded. "You too, Mr. Queen. I had no idea my daughter had decided to embark on a career as a personal assistant when she graduated top of her class at MIT."

The cutting remark had Felicity wincing. "Mother," she hissed, and then looked around, suddenly realizing they were still standing in the middle of the QC lobby. "Please."

Oliver cleared his throat. "Oh, I assure you Mrs. Smoak, Felicity is far from a personal assistant. She's my consultant. Her value to this company is not being overlooked, nor are her skills in the IT department and her head for business. When I came back to take over my father's company, I couldn't think of a better person that I wanted by my side and working with me to decide the direction for the future of this company."

Somewhere during Oliver's speech, Felicity had turned, her mouth falling open as she stared up at him. For a brief moment, she caught his gaze and he let his business mask drop so she could see the sincerity behind his words.

The breath caught in her throat and she swallowed thickly. Without thinking, she reached her free hand behind her and gave the one still resting on her back a light squeeze - an unspoken thank you.

"Oh," Leslie interrupted their moment and color rose to Felicity's cheeks as she whipped her head back around to find her mother staring at Oliver with a smile on her face, and pride in her eyes. "That's very high praise. But what I really don't understand is why you never told me you were being considered for a promotion,” she asked, returning her attention to Felicity.

Groaning, she bit her lip and pleaded with the woman in front of her waiting for an explanation, "Mom, could we please not do this here. We have a meeting to prep for after lunch and we really need to..."

"You should join us," Oliver's voice rang out from behind her, cutting off her words and causing her to still.

Panic welled up within her once more at the thought of she, Oliver, and her mother having lunch together. 

A tight-lipped smile appeared on her face as she turned toward her boss. "Are you sure?" There was an edge to her voice that she knew he couldn't miss.

"Of course," Oliver replied, giving her a reassuring look before holding out his hand and motioning toward the door. "Mr. Diggle's already got the car waiting. We were just going to Big Belly anyways..."

“Oh, that would be lovely,” her mother exclaimed, and Felicity pasted another smile on her face.

As they all headed out, Felicity hung back until her mother was a few feet ahead of them. "What are you doing?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"Felicity, relax," Oliver told her, his hand still firmly placed at her waist. "It's lunch. With your mother. What are you so worried about?"

Her face fell briefly. What was she worried about? Everything. 

Felicity hated lying, especially to her parents. It was one thing to reassure them of her safety and make up excuses for not getting back home to visit over the phone. It was completely different when they were standing right in front of you. Plus, there was the added factor of the way her mother could read her - and she was terrified that she was going to see something Felicity wasn't ready to admit. Not even to herself.

Oliver rode in the front seat of the town car with Diggle who gave her an amused grin and raised eyebrow when she introduced him to her mother. She shot him a “don’t even say it” look back and hastily followed her mother into the backseat.

The ride was full of her mother's constant chatter about everything back home. She nodded and laughed in the right places, but her mind was swirling with uncertainties.

Thankfully, Big Belly wasn't very crowded. The huge lunch rush had passed and now they had most of the place to themselves. Diggle refused to join them this time - instead choosing to sit at the bar, and Felicity saw him filling Carly in the second he sat down. The waitress threw her an apologetic glance and she nodded in thanks.

Felicity slid into their regular booth, her mother seating herself on the opposite side which left Oliver to take his normal seat beside her. 

Carly brought them menus even though both she and Oliver already knew what they were ordering. Felicity pretended to browse the menu while Oliver made polite small talk with her mother. She was amazed at how easily conversation flowed from him - and she had to remind herself that he'd been brought up and trained for this kind of thing. And while her mother put on a good front, she could see the skepticism in her eyes as she listened to Oliver. 

After Carly took their orders, Oliver excused himself to the restroom. Before he left, he gave Felicity's knee a soft squeeze. She startled at the touch, and didn’t dare look at him. Schooling her features, she took a deep breath and tried to relax.

As soon as he was out of sight, her mother leaned in. "Felicity...honey...what's really going on here?"

Felicity froze. "What...What do you mean?"

"Why didn't you mention the possibility of a promotion when we talked on the phone a few weeks ago?" she asked, "I didn't even know you knew Oliver Queen or that he knew of you. And now you're his personal assistant - calling him Oliver...don't' think I didn't hear that." Her mother paused at that point and Felicity felt her cheeks flame. "I've heard about Oliver Queen's...reputation. Are you...are you sleeping with him?" She whispered the last part across the table and Felicity waited for a whole to open up in the floor of the diner and swallow her as her cheeks flamed.

'What?!" she squeaked, not realizing how loud she'd been until she saw Diggle turn to look at her in concern. Clamping down on her jaw, she gritted her teeth. "No, mother. I'm not sleeping with Oliver Queen," she hissed.

"Okay, okay," her mother replied, raising her hands in a placating manner, "I just...I don't want you to get hurt Felicity. He may act like he cares but...what the papers said about him..."

"Stop it," Felicity bit out. "He's _not_ that person anymore. And he's my friend. I met him last year when he had some technology issues after getting back from being stranded on an island for five years. We just became friends. He knows who he was then, and he doesn't like that person. He’s trying to be better. The island...changed him. It helped him see some things differently. He's a good man, mom. He's got a good heart. He's been through hell and he's come out of it. I wouldn't be around him if I didn't think otherwise."

Her mother regarded her for a moment, her eyes searching until she finally nodded. 

A throat being cleared behind her, caused her to jump and glance up. She sucked in a deep breath when she saw Oliver standing next to their booth. One look at him told her he'd heard everything she'd said.

A small smile crept to her lips, and he returned it before sliding in next to her. As Carly delivered their food, Felicity felt his hand on her knee again and she held back the gasp at the heat that sparked through her as his thumb ran circles against her skin. 

A moan built in her throat out of nowhere and she quickly clamped down on his hand. Oliver squeezed her fingers and then his hand retreated as he reached for his drink.

Taking a shaky breath, she tried to focus on the food in front of her and not the erratic beating of her heart or the tingles still present on her skin where his hand had been.

Thankfully, her mother was too engrossed in a conversation with Carly to notice the exchange and the rest of the meal passed with relative ease. By the time lunch was over, she realized they hadn't discussed anything about their meeting. Thankfully, she already knew that she could fill Oliver in quickly during the ride over to the company's building.

Oliver stepped away once more when they were finished to discuss getting a car to take Felicity's mom back to her place while Diggle took them to their meeting. Time didn't allow for them to do both.

Felicity felt her mother's eyes on her and turned her head, resting them on her hands, her elbows perched on the table top. "What?" she asked quickly, knowing that look. It was her mother's inquisitive, 'I know something' look, and it made Felicity squirm at what she might have deduced in their short time together.

"I see the way you look at him, dear," she said with a sigh. "You always were one to jump right in with your heart."

Felicity swallowed, her eyes widening. "Mom..."

"No, don’t try to deny it. I'm your mother, Felicity, I know that look," she interrupted before Felicity could continue. "Are you sure you're just friends?"

Closing her eyes briefly, Felicity nodded. "Yes, we're friends - technically, he's my boss. That's it."

"But you'd like more..."

The words had the same effect as being dunking in ice cold water. While she'd entertained those ideas and fantasies for awhile now, she'd never let herself completely admit them to herself and certainly not anyone else. 

Yes, she cared for Oliver. Deeply. She’d kept tabs on him when he ran after the Undertaking - needing to know where he was and if he was okay. When everything became too much and it was either sink or swim for the company, she went after him. The broken man she found in the island jungle tore at her heart. He'd decided he didn't deserve anything but that - a life of solitude while running from the dangers of mercenaries and men who wanted to do nothing but kill him. 

In the end, she’d managed to convince him otherwise. The expression in his deep blue eyes when she'd told him she missed him had caused her stomach to flutter. There was a yearning there - as if he’d longed to hear that from anyone. It had just fallen from her lips along with her other pleas about the city and Thea needing him. It was as if he wasn't expecting anyone to miss him - as if he wasn't worth missing.

That thought did more than break her heart- it made him want to fix him, patch up all the holes so deeply dug in his soul so that he didn’t think he deserved love. She'd reached for him then - regardless of the fact that she wasn't sure he'd accept comfort. She'd done it and he'd eventually relaxed into her embrace, holding her tightly.

Since their return, everything had happened in a blur. There were meetings to attend and press conferences to schedule. Her promotion had been effective immediately - one of Oliver's stipulations for returning to the company. Not only did she deserve it, he’d said, it would also give them an alibi for her to be around him so much with regard to their extracurricular activities. Oliver had needed some convincing to continue that as well, of course, but in the end, he decided he would do for Tommy; to be something different than who Tommy saw him as when he died. 

"It's...complicated," Felicity finally said softly, lifting her eyes to seek out the man in question. He was turned away from her, the well-tailored suit accentuating his amazing physique, discussing something with Diggle. 

As if feeling her stare, he turned his head, eyebrows furrowing when he met her gaze and she wondered what emotions were written across her face in that moment. Quickly, she closed her eyes, turning back to her mother who had a pleased look on her face for guessing correctly.

It quickly turned to concern though as she reached her hand over the table and laid it atop Felicity’s. “I don’t want to see you get hurt,” she said honestly.

Felicity smiled softly. "He would never intentionally hurt me, mom. I know that."

"You have a lot of trust in him," she commented, a knowing look in her eyes. "And while I might not trust him yet - I do trust your instincts."

Turning her hand over, she squeezed her mom's fingers. "Thanks."

Leslie Smoak smiled, and slid out of the booth. "Your father will be in around 5. Are you available for dinner before we leave?"

Standing, Felicity nodded, and wrapped her mother in a tight hug. "Of course. I'll call you when I'm off work," she said, as Diggle came up behind them. 

"There's a car waiting to take you back to Miss Smoak's apartment," he told her courteously. 

"Thank you, but you don't have to. I'm sure I can catch a cab..." She began, but Oliver shook his head emphatically.

"It's my pleasure," he said, and Felicity watched, amazed at his ease with this whole situation when she was a bundle of nerves and uncertainty inside.

Felicity hugged her mom once more and then walked her out to the waiting company car, handing her the spare apartment key she kept in her bag. Oliver had the other - well, he'd made himself another soon after he began coming to her for help. Of course, she hadn't learned this until a few months later when he'd been waiting on her couch for her after the Helena incident.

Once she and Oliver made it back into their own car and Diggle pulled away from the curb, she let out a long breath, placing her head in her hands.

Oliver's placed his hand on her back, the width of his palm spanning her shoulder blades. "Breathe, Felicity. What's got you so worried about your mom being here? I thought you would be happy to see her."

At his words, Felicity snorted, "You would think that, right? I mean, if I was any kind of a normal, loving daughter, I would. But I've got secrets stacked up to the ceiling that they can't know about and I haven't talked to them for more than fifteen minutes on the phone for the past five months because I'm afraid if I do, they will hear too much...I left the continent without telling them I was gone..."

She felt his hand flex on her back and her eyes flew to his, knowing she was going to find guilt swimming in those beautiful blue eyes. "Stop," she said, reaching out her hand and laying it on his cheek before she could think about what she was doing. "Don't you dare feel responsible for that. It happened. It happened to all of us and I'm dealing just like you're dealing."

His hand had stilled on her back the moment she'd touched his cheek, and his eyes were now glued to hers. Surprise floated through his gaze before he reached up with his free hand and grasped hers. "But you had to do a lot of that alone..."

Felicity shrugged. "I had Digg." And it wasn't until the words were out of her mouth that she realized that wasn't the right thing to say.

Oliver's expression shuttered and he withdrew his hand from hers, jaw twitching in barely concealed regret.

She swallowed, her fingers feeling the loss of his warmth acutely as they hung between them. Slowly, she lowered them to her lap.

She drew in a shaky breath. "Oliver, that's not...I didn't mean..." she groaned. "We've already been over this. I know why you ran. I get it and I don't blame you."

His eyes snapped to hers and she was stunned by the bleak look he gave her. "You should. You should blame me for all of this. You wouldn't be involved in any of this if it weren't for me."

"And I would still be missing something from my life," she interrupted. "Oliver, I've never regretted you coming into my life. Never."

Her words drew a shaky sigh from the man sitting next to her. Once more, she felt his hand span the distance between them and find hers. Felicity’s stomach fluttered as he squeezed it lightly. Turning her hand, she laced their fingers together.

Clearing the thoughts from her head as best she could, she regrouped and remembered they hadn't discussed very much about their meeting. As she launched into one of her signature rambles about the best way to approach the technology meeting, she saw his muscles relax even more, but his eyes still held a hint of remorse and something undefined that if she thought about it too long would cause her to delve far into her own psyche. And she was not ready for that either.

The meeting went well, but it was long. Three hours and twenty-seven minutes later, they practically fell into the car, exhausted.

As Diggle drove, Felicity laid her head against the back of the seat. "That was draining. Never have I been in a meeting about technology where I wanted to pull my hair out as much as I did today. Could that man have spoken in more of a monotone voice? Was he trying to put us to sleep? Be excited. It's new stuff - at least they think it is - if you are trying to sell it, then at least act like you want to use it."

She felt his eyes on her and when she looked over at him, he was smirking, his head tilted to the side. 

"What?" she asked, suddenly feeling self-conscious. Her newly cut bangs had blown into her face and she huffed out a breath to try and move them.

Oliver cocked an eyebrow at her unsuccessful attempt and then reached across the small space between them and brushed them out of her eyes. Felicity sucked in a deep breath at the slight caress of his fingertips against her forehead. Her eyes fell shut briefly of their own accord and she couldn't help it - she leaned towards him.

She felt the palm of his hand against her cheek and, for a moment, she swore time stood still. The beating of her heart roared in her ears and she would have gotten lost in the warmth of his hand had Diggle not slammed on the breaks.

Her eyes flashed open as she braced herself. Oliver's arm flew out and pressed against her stomach as if he didn't trust the seat belt to do it's job. She grabbed onto it out of reflex, her fingers digging into his suit jacket and the corded muscle beneath.

"Sorry," Digg muttered from the front seat, and she looked passed him out the windshield to see a line of red tail lights.

"Of course," she groaned. "We get stuck in the beginning of rush hour. I told my mom, I'd eat dinner with her and dad before they headed back home."

Glancing at her watch, she furrowed her brows. "She'll be waiting for me in...45 minutes. Any chance we'll make it even halfway there?"

Diggle shot his eyes to the rear view mirror. "I'll do my best, Felicity."

She smiled gratefully at him. "I know you will, Digg."

Leaning back, she glanced to her side to see Oliver still staring at her with an unreadable expression on his face. He looked almost confused, but there was something deeper lingering in his intoxicating gaze - something that sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine.

"Um..." she began, "It's okay if I go out to dinner tonight, right? We don't have any pressing plans...I mean, the search is still running for the guy we're looking for at the lair, and I will get notified on my phone if it does find something...but if you need me, I can always..."

Oliver reached over and squeezed her forearm, and Felicity shut her mouth abruptly. Since he'd returned from the island, Oliver had become much more hands on. It was something she was still trying to get used to - not that she didn't appreciate it. But it made her feel things she wasn't prepared to face yet - mainly because she knew Oliver probably wasn't even aware what he was causing or reciprocate in the same way.

"Felicity, go have dinner with your parents," he said easily, and with a soft smile. "Everything else can wait for a night."

Letting a puff of air, she returned his smile and covered his hand with her own. "Thank you."

And then she narrowed her eyes, "But if you so much as think of going on a mission without me, you will hear my loud voice."

"Felicity," he warned, his eyes flashing with annoyance. "I did this for a long time before I brought you into it and I survived."

The words stung although she knew they weren't meant to - he was simply reacting to her overly worried state.. "I just...I don't like the thought of you guys out there without eyes on everything else. Especially now...the cops are looking for you, Laurel's on a rampage to find out who the vigilante is, and we've still got imitators running around with little restraint..."

He softened at her tone, and let out a sigh. "I know. And trust me when I say, I feel better when you're in my ear."

She blushed as he winked at her and she knew he was thinking about her huge foot-in-mouth moment from their undercover operation to the underground casino six months ago. She'd never live that one down. And she wouldn’t lie and say she hadn’t had more than a few amazing dreams about it either.

Distracting herself by sending a quick text to her mom, she didn't realize he still had his hand on her arm until a few minutes later.

With Diggle’s navigational skills, he managed to get them back to QC in a half an hour. With a quick thank you thrown over her shoulder, she ran from the car, determined to be able to get a few last minute things done before meeting her mom and dad for dinner.

As she pushed the elevator button, she felt a hand settle on her lower back. She flinched and then relaxed when Oliver’s familiar scent surrounded her. He must have run to catch up. Oh, who was she kidding, the man could move like he was an Olympic runner when he wanted too - without breaking a sweat.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to flee the scene, but I have approximately ten minutes before my mother shows up and I need to send out a few emails about the meetings tomorrow and drop off a stack of files to the accounting department that I don’t want getting lost in the courier system,” she babbled, not even looking up from her phone as she checked the schedule for the next day.

When the elevator dinged, he led her on easily, and pushed the button for the executive floor while she swiped her badge in a routine they’d done many times.

“I’ll head to the club after dinner,” she stated quietly, still looking at her phone, trying to weed out the unimportant emails.

“You can take the night off, you know,” Oliver responded, finally breaking his silence.

Glancing up from her phone, she quirked an eyebrow at him. “Are you taking the night off?”

He looked at the ceiling while giving a slight huff and she had her answer. “That’s what I thought. I'll be there around 8,” she told him as the elevator dinged and the doors opened.

She rushed to her office, quickly typing out the few emails and gathered her things. Her phone beeped and she saw a text from her mother stating she was waiting in the lobby. 

Signing off and hitting the lights on her way out, she hurried to the elevator. She felt Oliver behind her before she saw him. The files stacked on top of her coffee cup started to slide off, but he caught them easily. Heaving a sigh of relief she whispered a soft thank you.

Craning her head to the side, she furrowed her brow when she noted he had his briefcase and appeared to also be heading out for the evening. “You’re leaving too?”

“Well, my right hand has an important dinner date tonight with her parents. I’m kind of useless without her,” he replied easily, a smile playing at his lips.

Felicity chuckled, rolling her eyes as they both stepped into the elevator once more. “You’re not useless. You sit at that pretty desk and make the secretary’s day when you brood at the window with your arms crossed.”

His eyebrows flew to his hairline and she winced, realizing she’d unintentionally let on that she also noticed when he did these things. Trying to cover, she shrugged her shoulders. “Gossip gets around. And I don’t know how you don’t feel everyone staring at you.”

“Who says I don’t?” he replied, his voice low and filled with heaviness.

Swiveling her head, she stared up at him, head tilted. “Oh…”

“I think I’m actually more sensitive to it now than before,” and Felicity didn’t have to ask which before he meant. “The island took a lot of things from me...but it also taught me a lot of things.”

Felicity let his words sink in, falling between them in the privacy of the executive elevator. While Oliver had opened up to Felicity before, this felt different. As she normally did when he had these moments of revelation, she listened quietly, and offered a small show of support afterward - never pushing for more. Just thankful for what he’d given her.

This time she reached out her hand and grabbed his, lacing her fingers through his calloused ones and holding on tight until the elevator opened on the accounting floor. Stepping off, he held the elevator while she deposited the files on the secretary’s desk along with a detailed note. 

Rushing back to the elevator, she shifted her purse to the other shoulder and took a deep breath. Her hand brushed against his as the doors slid closed and continued their descent. Without warning, he threaded his fingers through hers once more. She glanced down at his hand, but he keep his head resolutely facing the metal doors.

When the doors slid open on the first floor, she dropped his hand quickly, knowing that being caught holding Oliver Queen’s hand in public would bring a lot of questions neither one of them was prepared to answer. She also refused to give extra fodder to the rumor mills already running rampant within the company. Oliver said nothing, only motioned for her to go first and walked a few paces behind her.

As they approached a group of workers chatting in the lobby, Felicity saw her mother sitting on one of the couches nearby. She was about to call out to her when she saw the furrowed brow on her mother’s face directed toward the group of workers. Slowing her pace, she began to pick up bits and pieces of their conversation and realized with a sinking feeling that they were talking about her.

After her sudden promotion and Oliver’s return, the gossip mills had begun - churning stories of sleeping her way to the top and the like. For the most part, Felicity was able to ignore them, and she never said anything to Oliver, not wanting to put that extra weight on his shoulders. Felicity had dealt with her fair share of bullies before - this was nothing new to the girl who grew up a geek with braces, glasses, and frizzy hair.

“Can you believe she’s still around?” one woman was saying. “I would have thought he would have gotten tired of her by now. She must be a pretty good lay.”

The group laughed and one of the guys in the group chimed in. “If she’s that good, I wish I would have asked her out when she was in IT. She was just so quirky, but she did make those pencil skirts look amazing.”

Felicity felt her cheeks redden with humiliation. Tears pricked her eyes and she ducked her head in shame, trying to steel herself from their barbs.

“Wasn’t she suspected of helping that vigilante last year?” another guy mentioned, “The police brought her in for questioning and everything. She must have a wild side.”

“Well, I’d give it another week, tops,” someone else said, “There’s no way Oliver Queen will hold on to someone like that for any longer than three weeks even if she is amazing in bed.”

Felicity wished the floor would swallow her whole. She resituated her purse, placing it higher on her shoulder as she wiped an errant tear away that had rolled down her cheek.

All she wanted to do was grab her mother and get the hell out of there when she heard Oliver’s voice ring out behind her, and realized with horror that he’d heard the whole thing too.

When she turned, she saw him approaching the group of employees, a fake smile plastered on his face. 

“Ah, it’s good to know the gossip mills are still running wild here at QC,” he began as everyone in the group stared at him with wide, fearful eyes. “I certainly hope you all have better things to do than stand around here and discuss my life or the life of my staff members. If not, I’m sure you can find a workplace more suited to standing about and chatting. I hear the drive-thru up the street is hiring.”

His face was a mask of pleasantry, but his voice was hard and biting. “And I assure you, Ms. Smoak, got her job because she did not stand around all day and spread rumors. She earned her promotion by being one of the most productive employees of this company. She’s valued far and above for her skills as an IT specialist and her dedication. If I were you, I’d start taking notes.”

With that, he turned on his heel and walked towards her. When the group saw her standing there, they dispersed quickly.

Then he was in front of her, laying a hand on her shoulder, thumb touching the bare skin where her blouse ended. His breath coasted over her face and she shut her eyes and listened to the beating of her heart.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly, and she just nodded, not trusting her voice.

She heard him sigh and looked at him, fighting back the tears pricking at her eyes. “Thank you,” she finally whispered, smiling sadly.

His crystal blue eyes were filled with sadness and regret, and tinged with anger. “How long have you been hearing stuff like that?” he asked, his voice low and even.

Casting her eyes downward, she swallowed and heard him swear softly. “Dammit, Felicity, why didn’t you say anything?”

Finding his gaze again, she shrugged, “This isn’t new to me...the teasing. The insults. I got all of that when I was in school. I can handle it…”

She swallowed around the lump in her throat and took a deep breath.

“You shouldn’t have to handle it,” he bit out, jaw ticking in restrained anger at what had just happened.

Reaching up, she covered his hand with her own, removing it from her shoulder. “Really, I’m fine. But thank you,” she said again, and was about to add something more when she saw her mother standing just behind them.

“Oh!” she cried, releasing Oliver’s hand and biting her lip. “Mom! Hey!”

Her mother’s eyes held a sadness Felicity hated to see and so she smiled her brightest, and tilted her head to the side. “Come on, Mom, let’s go get dinner.”

“Honey,” she said, and Felicity felt her shoulders deflate. Her mother wasn’t going to let this drop. “You can’t hide all that pain from me.”

“Mom,” she pleaded softly. “Not now.”

Biting her tongue, Leslie Smoak turned to Oliver. Felicity watched in surprise as she stuck out her hand. “Thank you.”

Oliver cocked his head to the side in confusion.

Leslie Smoak leveled him with a knowing, motherly look. “What you said back there. You didn’t have to do that. I...As a mother, thank you.”

“Of course,” Oliver answered, nodding his head and taking her mother’s hand. “Felicity doesn’t deserve any of that. She’s one of the most brilliant and beautiful women I’ve ever met. She earned her promotion - every bit of it.”

A smile formed on her lips at Oliver’s words of praise, but it quickly faded at her mother’s next question.

“Why don’t you join us for dinner?” She asked Oliver, her eyes gleaming at her great idea.

Felicity felt her jaw drop as Oliver glanced over at her with a smirk and nodded. “I’d love that.”

“Oh, I’m sure you have other things to do,” she tried, looking at him with a fierce expression, but Oliver ignored her.

“Actually, I don’t tonight. My usual plans have been put on hold,” he added, glancing back and forth between her and her mother.

She wanted to scream, or hit him, or something to wipe that stupid grin off his face. Didn’t he realize he was putting her in an awkward position? Or worse, just adding fuel to the fire of the gossip mills. She could already read the local headlines, “Oliver Queen spotted dining with his assistant’s parents. Are wedding bells in the future?”

A hand landed on her arm, and she shook her head, clearing her mind. Oliver stared down at her in concern as her mother was watching her with a startled look.

“Felicity, honey, are you okay?” her mother asked. “You just made a very odd sound.”

Squeezing her eyes shut, Felicity nodded her head. “I’m fine. Sorry. I was just thinking about my to-do list for tomorrow. A lot going on…”

She felt Oliver’s eyes on her and gave him a pointed look as she opened her eyes. His expression conveyed his worry and, this time, she saw a hint of an apology.

Taking a deep breath, Felicity plastered a bright smile on her face and turned to her mom. “Where is dad meeting us?” she asked, figuring they might as well get this started so it could be over.

“Oh, he’s about ten minutes out,” she replied easily, glancing at her watch. “He said he’d meet us at that new Italian place off Main Street.”

Nodding, Felicity made a mental note of the location, “That’s not too far. My car is in the parking garage.”

“No, it’s not,” Oliver chimed in and Felicity turned to look at him in confusion. “Diggle picked you up this morning because we had an early meeting on the other side of town.”

“That’s right!” Felicity cried out, smacking her forehead with her free hand. “I don’t have my car.”

“Not a problem,” Oliver told her easily, and motioned to the door, and led them out to the chilly evening. “Diggle can take us.”

“But Ol...Mr. Queen,” she said, shaking her head in frustration at the sudden name switching she had to do in front of her mother. “That’s too much, and I’m sure Mr. Diggle has other things to do.”

“Not really,” Oliver replied, as they approached the car.

Felicity could tell by the expression on Diggle’s face that he’d heard their conversation, and the withering look he gave Oliver had Felicity biting back a laugh.

“Evening,” Diggle greeted them, and Felicity gave him a smile as he held the door open for her and her mother.

Oliver slid into the passenger seat once more and they were off to the restaurant.

“Felicity,” her mother started, after a few minutes. “What those people were saying back there...about the vigilante...what were they talking about?”

Immediately, Felicity felt the tension inside the car skyrocket. Her palms became sweaty as she glanced to the front seat where she saw Oliver and Diggle give each other a look.

“Um..it was a misunderstanding, really,” Felicity began, trying to keep her voice as steady as possible. “I happened to be looking into something for the company at the same time someone was hacking into a server and they got the wrong person. I was questioned, that’s it. When they realized I didn’t know anything, they let me go and that was it.”

“You were arrested?!” her mother almost screeched, and Felicity winced along with the two other men in the car.

“No,” she said with conviction. “I was not arrested. I was questioned. There were no handcuffs. I got to ride in the front of the police car. I was questioned...and obviously they had the wrong person and that was that.”

She looked at her mother, not a trace of nervousness on her face. It was all buried deep inside, gnawing at her conscience.

They arrived at the restaurant two minutes later, and Felicity was never so relieved to be able to get out of a car. As she eyed the front door, she could tell there would be a wait. People poured out into the cool night air, talking and laughing.

Diggle dropped them off at the entrance, and Oliver buttoned his suit jacket before opening the door for Felicity. Her eyes met his briefly as she took his offered hand, and she could see the tension still present from the conversation that had just taken place. Giving his hand a firm squeeze, she let him know she was okay. As she slid out of the car, she was suddenly slightly overwhelmed by the sharp cut of his suit in the fading daylight that cast handsome shadows across his cheekbones. His hand was warm and steady and she gripped it tightly, studiously letting her gaze drop to the ground - knowing if she looked into his eyes at that moment, she’d forget that this wasn’t a date.

As soon as Diggle drove away from the curb, she heard a familiar voice behind her.

“Fletch!” The nickname caused her to pause mid-step and then she turned. Seeing her father, she ran towards him, a giggle escaping her as she embraced him.

“Dad!” she cried, burying her face into his coat collar and inhaling that scent that reminded her of home.

When she pulled back, he tuffed her nose and she rolled her eyes. “Look at my beautiful girl.”

“Okay, okay, dad,” she said, and noticed her father stiffen when he glanced behind her.

Turning, she saw Oliver staring at them longingly. The recent collapse of his own family heavy on his heart, and she ached to reach out and offer him comfort, but knew now was not the time or place or time. So she settled for sending him a supportive look.

He blinked as if realizing he was letting his emotions show through and quickly schooled his features back into his familiar mask.

“I didn’t know we were having company for dinner,” her father commented, and Felicity heard the slight tension in his voice.

Her mother cut in then, much to Felicity’s relief. “Oh, Marty, I forgot to text you that Mr. Queen was going to be joining us. He has been very hospitable to me and Felicity today. Come on, I’m starving and it looks like we might have a bit of a wait.”

As she trailed behind her mother and father, her fingers brushed against Oliver’s and he briefly tangled his pinky with hers, the small touch causing a hitch in her breath. 

“Sorry about my dad,” she whispered, as he held the door open for her. 

“Don’t worry about it,” he answered quickly, voice low, sending shivers down her spine. “I’ve dealt with far worse.”

Somehow that sentiment didn’t comfort Felicity in the least. As her mother gave the hostess their name, the manager passed by and caught sight of Oliver.

Felicity felt him tense beside her as the man drew near. “Oh, Mr. Queen! I had no idea you were going to be dining with us tonight,” he said, sending a glare towards his shocked hostess. “You don’t have to wait, I’m sure we can find a table for you.”

Marty Smoak sent a unimpressed glance their way and Felicity knew he wasn’t going to be affected by Oliver’s connections. 

She could see Oliver’s discomfort, now that a few eyes were glancing his way. Leaning towards the manager, he shook his head. “Really, that’s not necessary. I’m fine with waiting for a table with my group.”

The man looked dumbfounded for a moment before nodding his head, “Very well, sir. If there is anything you need, please, let me know personally.”

Oliver gave him a sharp nod and the manager walked away shaking his head. Felicity snorted softly, and Oliver cocked an eyebrow in her direction.

“Oliver Queen turning down first class service,” she teased, “That must be a first.”

His lips ticked upwards. “Unless I have to put on a show, I prefer to fly under the radar,” he murmured.

“You like to do a lot of things under the radar,” she quipped, and his eyes narrowed as she felt her own mouth turning up at the edges.

As they sat down to wait, Felicity sat between her father and Oliver. Her father started talking about the business to her - discussing the farm and everything going on at home. Felicity listened with wrapped attention, but her body was aware of Oliver sitting next to her. His every move had her yearning to turn her head and look at him. 

After a while, her father leaned over and regarded Oliver. “My wife says that you stood up for my girl, here, back at the office. Thank you for that. She was always one who could take care of herself, but it’s nice to know that people here have her back.”

Oliver’s eyes widened imperceptibly and Felicity felt herself holding her breath at this tiny olive branch her father was offering to him. 

“I’ll always have her back, sir,” he replied easily. 

Felicity looked at him then, his eyes locking with hers briefly before shaking the hand her father held out. 

Afterwards, they flowed into an easy conversation about business. Felicity felt some of the nerves in her stomach ease as the two men talked amicably about everything from the stock market to QC’s recent struggle with a take-over. As he talked, Oliver moved, angling himself so he could better see her father and stretching his arm out along the top of the bench where they sat. Fingers brushed the back of her neck and she sucked in a deep breath.

Why was she so hyper aware of him today? It had started out as a normal day and while she always admired his amazing physique, and collected those moments when he touched her - usually just a brief glance of fingers against her skin - this was different. Something was shifting, and while a part of her desperately craved this; the other stood in fear of what it might do to their team chemistry.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the hostess calling their name. Oliver’s hand found the small of her back once again as they were led to their table in a secluded corner of the restaurant. While she said nothing, she knew it was partly due to Oliver’s presence. Candles were lit on the crisp white linen tablecloth and the wine menu was open in front of each table setting.

Her mother and father took their seats on the far side of the table while she and Oliver sat across from them. In a show of his impeccable training, he held out her chair for her and didn’t sit until she was comfortable. A blush crept to her cheeks when she saw her mother raise a knowing and impressed eyebrow in her direction.

In usual fashion, her father deferred the wine choice to Felicity. Peaking a glance at Oliver, she saw the corners of his lips twitch upward. A second later, as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth, he leaned over and whispered against her ear. “They’re all excellent choices.”

Her eyes skimmed the list, knowing there were amazing wines, but also keeping in mind that her father was paying for this dinner, not Oliver or the company. She lingered over the 2008 Revana Cabernet Sauvigion, but the hefty price tag quickly eliminated it as a choice.

She finally settled on a Robert Mondavi 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon. The waiter smiled and nodded, bringing four glasses and setting them on the table.

“I still owe you that Rothschild,” Oliver mentioned casually, and Felicity raised an eyebrow at him as her father whistled.

Unfolding her napkin, she placed it in her lap, chancing a glance towards her parents who looked on with piqued interest.

“I haven’t forgotten,” she replied as the waiter poured their wine and Felicity took the first sip.

The red liquid swirled in her mouth and she moaned softly at it’s robust flavor. A hand landed on her thigh under the table and she jumped. His fingers traced along the edge of her hemline and she shivered. Casting a glance to the man sitting next to her, she saw Oliver’s eyes darker than she’d ever seen them before and swallowed thickly. Thankful that her parents were quietly discussing the wine and looking at the menu, she covered his hand with her own and squeezed. The desire that flashed through his eyes sent a shockwave through her. 

Then his hand was retreating and she was left with nothing but the acute loss of warmth, and confusion. His head had snapped down to glance over the menu, and she could tell his mask of indifference was firmly back in place.

If she were alone, she would have shook her head because she was at a complete loss. This was something as unexpected as her parent’s visit. But with Oliver’s own confused behavior, she wondered if he too was noticing something brewing between them - something unspoken before now making itself more known.

After ordering, her father started in on the questions she’d known were coming since her mother had invited Oliver along.

“So, how did you two even meet? I can’t imagine you get down to the IT department of your family’s business too often,” Marty questioned, gaze flickering back and forth between the two of them.

An explanation was on the tip of her tongue when Oliver spoke first, “After being on an island for five years, I was a little behind on all things technology related,” he explained with practiced ease. “I asked my step-father if someone could help me with a laptop issue and he directed me to Felicity - said she was the best the company had, in his opinion.”

A swell of pride grew in Felicity at the mention of Walter’s words of praise. She’d never heard them before and she’d always had a soft spot for Mr. Steele. He’d been good to her - still was when she had conferences with the London branch which he’d agreed to take over at Oliver’s offer.

“So I walked into her office and set my laptop down, and she made me laugh, truly laugh for the first time since I’d been home,” Oliver had continued with his story as her mind had drifted, and he looked at her then, emotions playing over his candle-lit face, the soft smile at his lips making her heart flip.

Her own lips curved upward and she nodded in agreement. “To this day, I still don’t like him touching the computers,” she teased, pulling her eyes away from his and turning to her parents.

Leslie Smoak had a knowing smile on her face while her father glanced back and forth with narrowed eyes. 

“And, he just decided you would be a good secretary?” he asked, the tone belying his congenial outward demeanor.

“Dad,” Felicity sighed, tired of constantly having to answer this question. “I’m not a secretary. I’m a technology and business consultant…” she began to explain her role within the company.

“She’s my right hand,” Oliver cut in taking a sip of his wine. “I honestly couldn’t do what I do without her.”

Felicity was sure she was red from the tips of her toes to her head. “Oliver…” she mumbled, shaking her head, knowing he wasn’t just speaking of their work at the company.

“No,” he said, looking at her, “It’s true.”

Smiling, she nodded. “Thank you.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier,” he stated earnestly, and she almost forgot that her parents were still at the table until her father cleared his throat.

“That’s...very high praise,” he commented, but Felicity could see the pride in his eyes when he looked at her and she knew things were going to be okay.

The conversation turned to everything from sports to the weather and local politics which her father and Oliver debated well into the time their entrees arrived.

Felicity was amazed at the way things were going. After the initial rough patches, a feeling of ease and normality surrounded the evening. Slowly, the ball of tension and nerves that had steadily tightened all day unravelled and she began to laugh more, and actually allowed herself to enjoy the fact that her parents were here.

They had just ordered dessert - her father’s demand - when her phone pinged. Her hand froze in mid-air as she lifted the wine glass to her lips. It was the alert for the search she was running in the foundry.

Her eyes cut to Oliver. He knew that sound as well. 

When it pinged again, she hastily placed her glass back on the table and dug through her purse to find her phone. Thumbing it on, she scrolled through the information, her jaw tightening when the name of their suspect appeared. Oliver had gone after him a few months back when he was dealing near the club. She’d persuaded Oliver to give him another chance, but it looked like he hadn’t listened very well.

“Is it something important?” Her mother’s voice broke her train of thought, making her jump slightly in her seat.

“Oh!” she stated quickly, eyes darting from her mother and father to Oliver. “It’s just work. Something important actually…”

Her words trailed off as Oliver laid a hand on her arm, his eyes dark but silently asking her what was wrong. She handed him the phone and saw the muscles in his neck tighten and his jaw twitch when he read it.

“Bad news?” Marty asked, and Oliver quickly furrowed his brow before slipping back into his easy demeanor. 

“Something like that,” he said lightly, but Felicity could hear the edge in his voice.

“We really need to deal with this,” Felicity began, but Oliver shook his head, stopping her as he handed her back the phone.

“It can wait until after dessert,” he said decisively, and a smile of relief broke out on her mother’s face.

“Oh, good,” she exclaimed, “I wasn’t ready to say goodbye just yet. As long as you’re sure though...Felicity, dear, you look so worried…”

Shaking her head and smiling, Felicity pulled herself together. “Sorry. Just running through the things I need to do with this,” she apologized, and she felt Oliver’s eyes on hers.

As their desserts were placed on the table, Oliver took that moment of distraction to lean over so his mouth was next to her ear. “Just relax. We’ll deal with it afterwards. Enjoy the rest of dinner.”

Her eyes fluttered shut and she took a deep breath - part to help calm her worries and part to control her reaction to the feel of his breath caressing her skin. A few seconds later, she looked down at her plate and the delicious creme brulee that awaited her.

Oliver and her mother were discussing some of the other new restaurants in the city and Felicity fell back into the conversation easily, although she noted her father’s concerned glance. 

After another twenty minutes, her father asked for the check.

“I’d be happy to pay my way,” Oliver stated, and she could tell he wanted to cover the whole thing but was resisting that offer, knowing it would hurt her father’s pride.

Marty frowned at him, “No, this is on me, Mr. Queen. I appreciate you looking after our girl and being a better man than the press makes you out to be.”

Felicity choked on her water, but she heard Oliver chuckle beside her. “That’s not a hard thing to do. Plus, I set a very low standard before I…” She heard the break in his voice and reached out instinctively to lay a supportive hand on his arm. “After being on the island for so long, I came to a few realizations.”

Her father nodded, seeming to note Oliver’s hesitance to talk about that time in his life and respected it. “Well, you seem to have a pretty good head on your shoulders now. I’m sure you’ll make a great CEO for the company.”

The way Oliver’s face brightened did something to Felicity’s heart. It wasn’t often that he got a true compliment from anyone on his work ability or ethic so she knew how much that meant to him. Squeezing his arm, she let her hand drop back into her lap.

As they were leaving, Oliver pulled out her chair and offered her his hand once again. She blushed at the attention and sent a glare to her mother who was almost swooning at Oliver now. She’d been ready to bit his head off earlier in the day and now she was acting as if he was the best thing since Colin Firth - at least in her eyes. 

Oliver had texted Diggle just before dessert to let him know when they’d be ready. Felicity knew he’d gone to visit Carly at the diner while he waited for them. She wished she could have asked him to join them but that would have raised too many questions.

Just outside the doors, they stopped, ready to say their goodbyes. Her father glanced at his watch and frowned. “You know, I think we better just stay in the city tonight, Leslie. It’s getting too late to make the four hour drive back home, and I’m exhausted.”

Her mother’s face lit up, “That means we can have breakfast before we leave in the morning,” she cried in delight.

Felicity smiled although she was beginning to panic again. They needed to go to the lair and deal with this issue. The night was already getting late and if she had to get up and greet her parents in the morning, she was going to have to get some sleep - otherwise she’d get another round of questions about taking care of herself.

“Do you need a hotel?” Oliver offered, ready to make a phone call, but her father shook his head. 

“There’s a hotel we stay at on the west side of town,” he said easily. “We should be able to get a room there.”

Oliver nodded, shaking her father’s hand and pressing a kiss to her mother’s cheek. Felicity hugged them both tightly, and then watched them drive away.

Diggle waited by the car and smirked as they walked to him. “Have fun?”

Felicity scowled at him, but Oliver nodded. “It was nice.”

Her eyes flew to his, eyebrows raised in wonder. “Really?” she asked.

When he nodded, she let out a chuckle. “Who would have thought I’d be having dinner with Oliver Queen and my parents and they would get along?”

He smiled as he ushered her into the town car. When Diggle was behind the wheel, their conversation abruptly turned to Arrow business.

“My search found our guy, Digg,” Felicity relayed as she pulled up the information again, studying it as he drove. “Looks like Damian Fold didn’t deserve his second chance. I’m so sorry…”

“Felicity,” Oliver interrupted her with a hand on her arm. “It’s not your fault.”

“But…”

“No,” Oliver declared, shaking his head. “This was his own choice. Now, he’s got to answer.”

Felicity nodded, but still couldn’t help the guilt at her previous decision causing other people pain. Damian had killed two gas station workers in his second robbery attempt. Apparently his greed for money was bigger than anything.

When they arrived at the foundry, Felicity immediately went to work, her fingers flying over the keys as she brought up all the information she could find on Fold. She was separating out the important information when her police scanner picked up another robbery attempt in play at the convenience store just a few blocks away.

Both Diggle and Oliver were behind her in seconds as she turned up the volume. Felicity gasped when the word ‘hostages’ was mentioned.

Oliver was already moving towards his gear, while Diggle ran to the weapons area as she pulled up the blueprints of the store and found a roof entrance Oliver could use. 

Within five minutes, they were heading out the door, comms in, and Felicity manning the radio and the satellite feeds.

Oliver brushed a hand over her arm as he headed to the door. “We’ll stop him,” he reassured her, his tone soft and warm.

It always threw her when he spoke with that voice in his Green Arrow outfit. The two were incongruous. But they fit together somehow in her mind. Oliver Queen and Green Arrow. 

And to her, he was somehow always just Oliver.

Everything went well. By the time Oliver and Diggle were on the scene, Fold had let a few of the hostages go, but kept the manager and clerk inside. Oliver was able to slip in through the roof unnoticed and disarm him without a single bullet being fired.

When he gave her the signal, she called Lance and let him know the hostages were going to be coming out and that Fold was tied up inside, waiting for them.

Oliver ‘s voice came over the comms a few seconds after she hung up with Lance. “Go home, Felicity,” he told her. “I don’t want your parents to think I overwork you.”

She chuckled. “Yeah, wouldn’t want them to think you exhaust me every night.”

At Diggle’s chortle, she replayed the words in her mind and winced, hearing the innuendo in them.

Groaning, she shook her head. “And on that note, I am leaving. Wait,” she called suddenly, “I don’t have my car!”

“It’s in the parking lot,” Diggle told her calmly. “I had one of the men bring it over while you were at dinner.”

“You’re the best, Digg,” she stated, grinning at how well he took care of her and Oliver.

“And don’t you forget it,” he replied easily.

“Night, boys.” She declared, her heart light at the camaraderie between them. 

“Night, Felicity,” they replied and she cut the comms.

Logging off, she picked up her bag and headed for the door. Her mind was lighter than it had been before now that Fold had been caught and wouldn’t be hurting anyone else. The guilt still nibbled at her but she was able to push it aside and know that she would never completely turn that part of her off that wanted to see the good in people.

As she stepped outside, the cool evening air wrapped around her and she shivered, quickening her step as she spotted her car across the parking lot.

Palming her keys, she suddenly felt her skin prickle with awareness. She was about to turn when she heard the sharp voice ring out from behind her.

“Hands up!” 

Every muscle in Felicity’s body tensed, her heartbeat skyrocketing as fear gripped her.

“Turn around,” the man’s voice called again.

Slowly, she did as she was told. Her breath caught in her, a cold shudder running through her when she saw the barrel of a gun pointed directly at her.

“What...what do you want?” Felicity asked, trying to keep the tremor of fear out of her voice.

Closing her eyes, she tried to remember her lessons with Diggle and Oliver. Both of their voice rang through her head, and when she refocused on the man in front of her, she felt a tiny surge of confidence.

“Your purse,” he demanded, “Give me your purse!” 

Felicity held out the bag immediately, and the man grabbed at it. As he did, his eyes narrowed. “Wait. You look familiar,” he said, his voice low. “You...I saw you on tv. You work for Queen Consolidated...for Oliver Queen, right?”

The blood rushed through her ears as he stepped closer, the gun now only a foot from her chest. The man’s expression changed and his face hardened, eyes flashing with anger.

A cold trickle of dread flowed through Felicity. “He’s the reason I lost my family. My home...everything!” The man roared.

Felicity jumped at the sound of his voice. “His whole family should pay for what they did to the Glades!”

Felicity tried to speak using a calming voice, “I’m so sorry for your loss...but this isn’t the answer…”

“Shut up!” he cried, his eyes wild, and she froze. “You don’t understand. You work with him. You help him. You stand by him - he doesn’t deserve anyone to stand by him. Not after what his family did. You...he doesn’t deserve you on his side…you don’t deserve to live...”

A choked sob worked it’s way from Felicity’s throat. “Please...this isn’t the answer…”

The gunshot rang out before she could finish her sentence, and then she was falling. A searing pain ripped across her abdomen and she let out a gasping breath as her hands fell to her stomach. When she lifted her shaking hands, she saw them covered in red.

Her limbs were quickly growing numb and when she looked up, no one was around. 

“Help!” she cried weakly, fighting the closing of her eyes.

Tears slipped down her cheeks as she thought about her parents, her friends, Diggle, and Oliver…

“Oliver,” she whispered, before her eyes slipped shut and she felt nothing.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look! The second part - as promised. Please forgive me if there are errors. I edited this one until every word just looked horrible to me and I almost didn't post it because I thought it was crap. So I sincerely hope it's not that. 
> 
> But truly, I could NOT have written this without **anthfan** 's help. She's been my cheerleader, my enabler, my sounding board and has kept me from throwing this down the drain. So thank you!
> 
> AND THANK YOU for your AMAZING response to the first chapter. You guys keep me writing and I just can't thank you enough! I will get to individual replies ASAP! Thank you again! *HUGS*
> 
> As always, reviews make me smile and keep me writing. Truly, I love hearing what you think.

Oliver couldn’t help but think back over the day as they returned to the lair. The mission had gone well and Fold was now going to be behind bars for a very long time. He could hear the fierce relief in Felicity’s voice when she’d heard that they’d got him. Something about the man never sat well with Oliver, but he couldn’t ignore Felicity’s plea to let him have another chance. He knew the guilt that laid on her heart for that, and he would not let it consume her as it did with him.

The thought of Felicity had him remembering dinner with her parents, as well as the slight touches and brief looks they’d shared throughout the day. He knew things had changed between them when she’d brought him back from the island two weeks ago. The moment he’d wrapped her in his arms, holding her as close as possible, he felt the shift inside him. The acknowledgement from his heart that she meant something to him - a lot of something. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed her until she was standing right in front of him again; blonde hair in that tight ponytail, knowing expression in her blue eyes and her green nails peaking out from the sleeves of her olive green jacket. And then she’d laughed - that beautiful joyful sound - and it caused something to open and lift within his heart.

So when they returned, he found himself standing closer to her; touching her more; wanting to be near the person who brought so much light into his life. She made him want to live again - and that realization was something he wasn’t quite ready to face just yet. He was still so damaged, and she was so whole.

From the moment he met her parents, he could see where she got her spark and her spunk. Neither of them had been impressed by his name or presence. They were protective; unsure of him and his intentions and he couldn’t blame them. But throughout dinner, he noticed their suspicions ease and actually found himself having a good time. It was nice to be a part of a family dinner again - one that didn’t have constant reminders of betrayal and empty seats.

As Verdant came into view, Oliver frowned, realizing Felicity wouldn’t be there to welcome them back as usual. He knew he’d done the right thing in sending her home to get some rest, but it felt wrong somehow knowing she wouldn’t be sitting at her desk in the foundry.

As they turned into the back parking lot, Diggle leaned forward and then slammed on the breaks.

“What the…” Oliver began, looking out the windshield.

What he saw caused his stomach to drop and his heart to momentarily stop beating. Panic flared within him at the familiar blonde hair strewn on the pavement.

With a roar, he threw open the door and sprinted past Diggle who was also jumping from the car. As he came closer, Oliver saw the blood pooled near her middle and terror flooded him.

“No! Felicity!” he yelled, skidding to his knees by her side.

With shaky hands, he pushed the hair out of her face and then felt her neck for a pulse. It was faint but it was there. A shaky breath escaped his lips and his vision tunneled to her and nothing else.

Looking down, his hands fisted as he saw the bullet wound, her fingers bloodstained from where she’d obviously tried to staunch the bleeding before she passed out.

Diggle was already reaching for his phone as he checked her over, lifting her hands and shirt to see underneath.

“What are you doing?” Oliver ground out, using one hand to press against her wound to try and stop her from losing any more blood. There was already so much...too much on the pavement where he knelt.

“Calling an ambulance,” he replied quickly, never taking his eyes off her, “This isn’t good, Oliver. Stomach wounds are tricky. She needs a hospital.”

The vice around his heart tightened at the stark reality of losing her. He growled, hating the absolute helplessness he felt.

Oliver grasped one of her cold hands and lifted it to his face, pressing a kiss to her knuckles as he leaned down next to her ear.

“Felicity, hold on...please...just hold on,” he murmured.

His lips brushed over her forehead and he longed for her to open her eyes. To smile that warm smile that always made him feel better after a tough day or a mission gone wrong.

From a distance, Oliver heard Diggle calling his name, but he squeezed his eyes shut and buried his face in Felicity’s neck, not wanting to hear whatever Diggle had to tell him.

“Oliver!” A strong hand gripped his shoulder and pulled him up. “Oliver, look at me!”

With blurred vision, Oliver reluctantly moved his eyes from Felicity’s pale face, focusing on his other partner..

Diggle’s expression was one of trained military determination that told Oliver he was falling into the only role he could - soldier.

“You need to go get changed,” Diggle ordered, placing his hand over his where Oliver was keeping pressure on her wound.

He shook her head, the idea of leaving her too painful to even consider.

“Oliver, the ambulance will be here any minute. You can’t be seen in your suit,” he tried to reason, but Oliver continued to shake his head. “Oliver, you won’t be able to do Felicity any good if you are arrested. Now, GO!”

That last statement got his attention, and he gave her one last look before standing and taking off towards the back door.

He was pulling off his hood and jacket before the door closed behind him. Throwing them on the floor, he unbuckled his pants and toed off his boots.

His heart was racing, fear the only thing he could feel. He crossed to his locker and grabbed his pants and shirt from earlier, quickly slipping them on and he was about to head back upstairs when he caught sight of her desk.

A searing pain ripped through him at the empty chair where she normally sat waiting for him to return with a smile.

He couldn’t lose her. He just couldn’t. The idea of life without her...it wasn’t an option.

The sound of sirens brought him out of his thoughts and he raced back up the stairs, flying through the door and back to Felicity’s side as the ambulance pulled into the parking lot. His hands fell over Digg’s and together they held pressure on her wound until the paramedics arrived.

It took Digg and two police officers to pry him away from her, and Digg ended up restraining him when they called for the AED.

Thankfully, they didn’t use it, but soon she was being placed on a stretched and rolled toward the ambulance. Tubes and wires protruding from her small frame. Oliver immediately followed.

The paramedics denied him entrance at first, but after one glare and the appearance of Lance at his side, they let him inside.

He turned to look at Digg who nodded in an understanding that he’d follow in the car. There was no way either of them was leaving her.

Climbing into the back, Oliver slid his hand into hers and held it tight ignoring the tears that slipped down his cheeks.

He’d told her to leave. He’d done this. The guilt clawed up within him. Why hadn’t he just waited until they got back? He would have walked her out to her car as he usually did. None of this would have happened.

One of the paramedics was talking to him, and he focused on that voice, knowing it might be something important.

“Are you her husband?” the man asked, checking her vitals and reporting it to the driver as he called in their ETA.

He shook his head although the idea struck a deep chord within him. “Boyfriend?”

Oliver didn’t really want to answer any more questions. “Can you just worry about her, please,” he gritted out just as they arrived at the hospital.

The next few minutes were a flurry of activity as the paramedics rushed her into the emergency room. He followed, refusing to let go of her hand until they made him - familiar arms wrapping around him from behind to hold him back.

“Digg...she can’t...I can’t lose her,” he whispered brokenly as they rolled her behind swinging doors, “I can’t lose her.”

“She’s in the best hands,” Diggle replied. “And she’s a fighter.”

Oliver nodded, realizing he was in a very public place and he needed to get himself under control. Taking a few deep, calming breaths, he fisted his hands at his side and Digg let him go when he knew he was steady.

A nurse approached him before he could sit down. “Are you the people who came in with Felicity Smoak?” she asked politely although she obviously recognized him.

He nodded, not completely trusting his voice in that moment. His jaw hardened when she let her eyes wander over him and then to Diggle.

“Mr. Queen?” the woman asked, looking down at the chart in her hand.

Oliver nodded his head. “Yes.”

The nurse nodded and then glanced at him again. “You are listed as one of her emergency contacts.”

His brow crinkled and his gaze snapped to Diggle who just shrugged. “They are evaluating her right now, Mr. Queen. As soon as they decide the best course of action. we’ll let you know.”

“Does she have any parents or next of kin that need to be contacted?” the nurse asked.

Oliver’s stomach dropped. Her parents. He hadn’t even thought about them. How was he going to explain this? He’d just promised them he’d always have her back and now she was lying on a stretcher hanging on to her life. Self-loathing threatened to bring him to his knees, but he steeled himself as best as he could - relying on the years of practice he had on the island.

Realizing the nurse was still waiting for him to answer, he nodded. “Yes. Her parents are actually in town. I can...I’ll get a hold of them.”

“Thank you,” the woman replied, before walking back to the desk.

Just then a man in scrubs came rushing through the doors where they’d taken Felicity. Oliver and Diggle rushed over to him.

“Oliver Queen?” The man he presumed was the doctor asked.

“Yes,” he replied, running a hand through his hair, trying to calm the panic raging within him.

“I’m Dr. O’Neill. Ms. Smoak has lost a lot of blood. Her vitals are weak but we need to operate in order to make sure none of her organs were damaged and to stop the bleeding. From what I understand, you’re her emergency contact and since no next of kin is present, I need your permission to operate.”

Oliver stared at the man in shock. His whole body shook with the tremor that went through him. “My permission?” he bit out, trying to wrap his mind around the fact that he had to be the one to make this decision.

“Yes. I’m afraid so. We need to do this as soon as possible,” the doctor replied, handing him a clipboard with a piece of paper. “If you could just sign this, we’ll get her into surgery.”

Oliver felt as if the wind had been knocked from him. He stared at the piece of paper, the words blurring together. The X on the bottom of the page beckoned his signature and before he could question himself, he signed his name.

The doctor took the pen and board from him, but Oliver caught his arm before he could leave. “Save her.” It was a command.

“We’ll do our best, Mr. Queen,” the young man replied, and then Oliver thought of something else.

“Can I see her?” he asked quickly, “Before you take her to surgery…”

He could see Dr. O’Neill hesitate, but after a few seconds and a glance over Oliver’s shoulder, he nodded. “You’ll only have a minute or two while we prep…”

“That’s enough,” Oliver replied gruffly, and the doctor motioned him to follow as he rushed through the swinging doors.

Oliver had no problem keeping up with the doctor’s swift pace as he led him down a brightly lit hallway and then the doctor stopped and pointed to his left. “Two minutes, Mr. Queen.”

Nodding, Oliver entered the room, a few nurses hovering around Felicity’s unmoving body. When they saw him, they gave him some privacy.

The only noise that filled the room was the sound of the heart monitor beeping steadily. Blood pounded through his ears as he slowly approached the stretcher. The pressure in his chest increased to the point where he could barely breathe. Every inhale and exhale hurt as he gazed down at her. A breathing tube was hooked up to her nose and mouth, pumping air into her lungs. She looked so small and fragile and Oliver felt the steely resolve he prided himself on crumble.

With shaking hands, he reached out and trailed his fingers over her forehead, brushing her bangs out of her face. He was assaulted with the memory of her trying to blow them out of her eyes earlier that day in the car and a choked sob stuck in the back of his throat.

Grasping one of her small, cold hands in his own, he held it tightly, bringing it to his lips. He pressed a kiss against the skin, and closing his eye. Leaning down, he let his head rest against her own and brought his mouth to her ear.

“You’ve got to fight, Felicity,” he murmured, squeezing her hand softly. “Don’t leave me, okay? I...I meant what I told you earlier at the office. I’m useless without you. I need you. So you have to fight. Please.”

A throat cleared behind him and he squeezed his eyes shut.

“I’m sorry, we have to take her now,” a nurse said softly, and he nodded, backing away and holding on to her fingers until they fell from his grasp as they rolled her away.

When he returned to the waiting room, Diggle met him at the door, laying a hand on his shoulder in reassurance. “You did the right thing. She needs this surgery.”

Oliver nodded, but let himself fall into the nearest chair. All he could see was her slight frame covering in wires and tubes, clinging to life.

“Here,” Diggle’s deep voice broke through his thoughts and looked over to see Felicity’s cell phone.

Oliver glanced up at him in confusion.

“I found it a few feet away from her on the pavement. She must have had it in her hand when she fell…” his voice trailed off and for the first time, Oliver realized how hard this was for Diggle as well.

Standing, Oliver took the phone and clasped his friend’s hand. “Thanks.”

Oliver found a quiet alcove and then flipped through Felicity’s contacts until he came to the one labeled “Dad.” Swiping his finger over the call icon, he put the phone to his ear and drew out a shaky breath.

It rang four times before a groggy voice answered. “Fletch?”

Oliver swallowed thickly at the nickname Felicity’s dad had called her earlier that evening. “No,” he began slowly. “It’s Oliver Queen, actually.”

“Is everything okay?” Marty Smoak’s alarm was clear through the connection.

“No, Mr. Smoak, I’m sorry, but...” Oliver gulped, rubbing a hand over his face as he tried to bring himself to say the words. “Felicity was..Felicity has been shot.”

She heard a sharp intake of breath and Leslie’s voice in the background asking what was wrong. “How? Where is she? Is she okay?”

Oliver squeezed his eyes shut. “She was mugged leaving my club in the Glades tonight. I usually...I usually walk her out but there was an emergency...I’m so sorry.”

His voice broke and he fought the urge to put his fist through the wall next to him.

“Where are you?” her father asked shakily, and Oliver could tell he was barely hanging on to his control.

“Starling City General. She’s in surgery right now. They’ll let me know as soon as she’s out...”

Oliver waited as muffled sounds came from the other end of the line and then there was a shriek and crying. Grimacing, Oliver felt the resurgence of guilt flare within him, trying to keep it at bay, unsure he could stand it with his already shattered heart.

“We’ll be right there,” Mr. Smoak said suddenly over the phone, and then he hung up.

Oliver let his arm drop to his side and leaned against the wall. Laying his head back, he bit back his roar of anger, fisting his hands so hard he felt the skin tear beneath his nails. He sank to the floor, his head coming to rest on his knees, arms outstretched before him. When he looked up, he saw her blood still covering his hands.

As he stared at his them, he felt all of his emotions slip away. Blood. That’s all they would ever be covered in. He’d taken so many lives. He was almost drowning in it.

He was truly poison to everyone around him. Everyone he loved ended up hurt or dead. Their blood on his hands.

Sarah. Yao Fei. Shado. Laurel. Tommy.

Felicity.

He’d been right. He was better off on that island - alone and secluded from everyone he ever cared about or who cared about him. Because all he did was destroy and hurt.

Felicity deserved better. They all did. But Felicity - she was this bright light who had come into his life on accident. He hadn’t been expecting her. She was supposed to be a one time deal. But then he’d walked into her office, and she’d tilted her head, and rambled on about his father and she didn’t believe any of his bull shit, and it made him smile. _She_ made him smile.

For the first time in such a long time, she made him feel _something_ besides pain and grief and guilt. It was something he craved, and he couldn’t stay away from her. He _needed_ to see her - to see that smile and the little tilt of her head when she knew he was flat out lying to her. The way she decoded and solved every problem he brought to her.

Soon, she became indispensable to him. Not as someone who could help his cause, but someone who could help him.

Trusting her was easy. Bringing her onto the team was not. The danger that pervaded into every aspect of his life was now extended to her. That was something that haunted him every night.

But she stayed through his bad moods, and ridiculous demands. She stayed through his guilt-ridden crusade and flawed decisions.

She challenged him. Every day. To be better. To be someone that, at the time, she could only see.

Slowly, she’d shown that person to him - the one buried deep within him. She’d helped him find his purpose, his place.

And in return, he’d constantly putting her in danger.

That danger no more evident than the fact that she was now lying in a surgery room fighting for her life - _because of him_.

A very deep-seeded instinct in his body wanted to wanted to run; through the doors of the ER and out into the night and not stop until he collapsed. But the other part of him - the part of him that Felicity had stoked back into life after the island - made him stay. He couldn’t keep running. He couldn’t leave her. Not when she’d never left him.

It was that thought that brought him to his feet. Taking several deep, calming breaths, he returned to the waiting room and a very concerned Diggle. They shared an unspoken conversation - something Oliver had never truly taken time to appreciate with his military collegue. Sinking down into the uncomfortable chair beside him, Oliver could do nothing but wait and pray.

The silence that had descended upon them as they waited was interrupted ten minutes later as Felicity’s parents ran into the emergency room. Leslie was in tears and Marty looked haggard with worry.

They spotted Oliver as he stood almost immediately and rushed to him. “Have you heard anything?” Leslie asked shakily.

Oliver shook his head. “Not yet, she’s still in surgery,” he explained, eyeing them wearily. “I had to sign the consent form for them to operate.”.

Marty furrowed his brow. “They let you sign that?”

All Oliver could do was nod, as he stared at Felicity’s parents who didn’t know anything about their daughter’s secret life.

“Felicity has Oliver listed as one of her Emergency Contacts,” Diggle spoke up from behind him.

He could see the question’s in her father’s eyes, and ran a hand through his already messy hair.

Before Marty could ask the question hanging in the air, Leslie spoke up.

“I just don’t understand,” she began, her hands trembling, “ _Why_? Why was she at your club? At this hour? What work related things were you doing there?”

Oliver pressed his palms against his eyes, dread sinking into his stomach. These were the questions he didn’t want to answer. But they deserved them - even if they were only half-truths.

Steeling himself, he leaned forward and regarded them both sadly. “When I opened my club in the Glades, I asked Felicity for her help with the internet set-up as well as a few of the other larger IT issues. It wasn’t uncommon for her to spend her evenings there helping out.”

Oliver paused then, meeting her father’s eyes and then her mother’s. “I want you to know that I always had someone walk her out at night if I couldn’t. There were nights when I sent my own body guard to make sure she got home.”

From the corner of his eye, he saw Diggle nod in agreement and appreciated his support.

“After I came back and she was promoted, my sister took over the club, but Felicity still wanted to help with everything she could. I think it was part of her daily routine and she needed to keep things as normal as possible after everything. Since I’ve been back, we’ve used my old office as an off-site meeting space. While she helps Thea, I go over paperwork from the day and then we discuss the next days agenda. Tonight was no different, but I wanted her to head home early. I knew she’d be meeting you for breakfast and didn’t want her worrying about work. I was called away by an emergency right before she left and I made a mistake,” Oliver’s voice broke and he willed himself to keep going. “I let her walk out without an escort. I…” Swallowed thickly, he managed a soft, “I’m so sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Smoak.”

He waited, not breathing, while they processed everything he’d just said, waiting for either of them to say something. A long silence settled in the open area and Oliver finally had to pull in a deep breath.

That’s when Leslie Smoak erupted. “I told her it was too dangerous here. That she should come back home, especially after everything that happened five months ago. But she refused. She said she was needed here - that she couldn’t leave. And now she’s been shot and,” Oliver saw her knees go out as Marty reached around and helped her into a nearby chair. “I can’t lose my baby,” she sobbed, rocking back and forth as her husband muttered reassurances into her ear.

Oliver’s head fell into his hands and he ground his teeth together, his muscles cording into rigid lines. He felt like he was going to explode - all the grief and guilt and self-loathing washing over him in one enormous wave. He wanted to hit something - bleed out some of this pain that was tearing at his soul.

The second he thought he couldn’t take it anymore was the moment, the doors opened and Dr. O’Neill headed towards them. His brow was covered in sweat as he wiped a hand over his face.

They were all standing by the time he arrived. Addressing her parents, he held out a hand. “You’re Ms. Smoak’s parents?”

They both nodded their heads as he continued, this time glancing at Oliver and speaking to them all.

“She’s out of surgery. Things were touch and go for a few minutes. The bullet was through and through, but , amazingly, it missed all of her major organs. She’s lost a lot of blood, though, and she’s going to be pretty weak for quite awhile but she should make a full recovery.”

Oliver let out a shaky breath, his body sagging as the pressure in his chest began to ease. “Full recovery.”

“Can we see her?” Mr. Smoak asked quickly and the doctor glanced at them and then to Oliver and Diggle.

“Yes, but only two at a time. She’s very weak and needs her rest.” He explained. “She’s been taken to the private wing on the seventh floor.”

Oliver frowned at this information, not recalling asking them to do that, despite the normal procedures with his family. The doctor must have caught his expression because he added. “We figured that’s what you would like, Mr. Queen.”

Felicity’s parent’s eyed him curiously, but he simply nodded. “Yes. Thank you.”

They were lead down a long hallway to a set of elevators and then up to the seventh floor. In the elevator, he felt Marty’s eyes on him and finally looked up.

“Your family a common visitor to the hospital?” he asked abruptly, and Oliver heard the jab but refused to acknowledge it.

Instead, he adopted a calm demeanor. “It’s for the patient’s privacy and safety. Reporters and visitors can only access this floor with a staff member. Since I brought her in, I’m sure they just assumed they should follow the normal protocol that my family has set up.”

Felicity’s father nodded, but said nothing else, seemingly accepting Oliver’s explanation.

They were lead down the hallway and stopped outside of a room.

“She’ll be asleep for a few hours still while the anesthesia wears off,” Dr. O’Neill told them before excusing himself to return to the operating room.

As much as he wanted to run into the room and make sure she was in fact okay, Oliver held himself back. Felicity’s parents went in first, while he and Diggle took up residence in the seats near her door - two sentries standing guard.

It could have been a few minutes or a few hours before Oliver looked up and realized Felicity’s parents were standing in front of him.

“You can go in now,” Leslie said softly, tear tracks apparent on her cheeks.

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and nodded to Diggle as they both stood.

Sliding the glass door, open, he stepped through the privacy curtains, Diggle right behind him. When he saw her, so small among the sterile white linen, he felt the breath hitch in his throat. All of the emotions he’d been avoiding came rushing back, and it only took him three strides to reach her side.

An IV hung to her left, a steady stream of saline flowing into her system along with a pint of blood. She looked so pale, her lips clean of any makeup and no glasses in sight. He had to remember if she even had them on when they’d found her. Reaching out a hand, he trailed his fingertips along her forehead, brushing strands of blonde hair to the side. He let out a ragged breath as his other hand found hers. Gently, they slipped to the inside of her wrist to feel the steady thrum of her pulse beneath his fingers.

Diggle’s hand came into his field of vision as he rested it on her shoulder. Leaning down, the normally stoic man pressed a kiss to her hair while whispering something Oliver couldn’t hear into her ear. Then Diggle retreated, his hand landing heavily on Oliver’s back in a show of support before he left the two of them alone.

Moving a step closer, he leaned down and pressed his forehead against hers, his eyes slipping shut as a lone tear fell down his cheek.

“I’m so sorry,” he breathed out, while his other hand ghosted over her hair.

Her fingers fluttered against his and his eyes snapped her face for any signs of waking, but when she didn’t move again, he knew it had simply been an involuntary reaction.

Oliver stared quietly at her hand in his, her forest green fingernails bringing a quirk to his lips. She’d told him she’d bought the nail polish because it was almost a perfect match to his suit, and she’ hadn’t been able to pass it up.

Oliver ached for her to wake up and tease him about how he could complete his look with his nails painted the same color. When Felicity had first suggested it, he’d actually growled at her. All she’d done was laugh which had made him smile, of course.

He needed that now. To hear her laugh.

When there was a soft knock on the door, he knew he needed to allow her parents more time. Letting his eyes drift over once more to convince himself she was very much alive, he leaned forward to brush a kiss against her cheek. At the last second, he changed directions and barely caught the edge of her mouth.

A spark ran through him at barest touch of her lips against his. Leaning back, he wished she would open her eyes and babble something utterly ridiculous and inappropriate at him after that. Squeezing her hand once more, he let go and walked to the door refusing to let himself look back because he knew if he did, he’d never leave her side.

As he exited the room, he saw Diggle just to his left and he motioned with his head to Felicity’s parents who were talking in hushed tones a few feet down the hallway.

“She’s coming home, Marty,” Leslie Smoak hissed. “I’m not leaving her here...She needs to come home. It’s too dangerous. This proves that.”

Oliver’s thoughts tunneled to one thing - he was going to lose her. Despite everything, he was going to lose her anyway. Eyes slamming shut, he sank down into the nearest chair.

This was for the best, he tried to tell himself. She would be safe there. Nothing would be able to hurt her that was connected to him.

But life without her...he shuddered. That was almost unfathomable anymore. She was an everyday part of his life; someone he looked forward to seeing in the morning and didn’t want to say goodbye to at night.

The sudden realization that unfurled within him shook him to his very core.

He couldn’t deny it anymore. He loved her - more than he ever thought he could love again. _He loved Felicity Smoak._

And, now, he was going to lose her.

The vigilante in him wanted to stalk over to her parents and refuse to let them take her. The sight of her lifeless body bleeding out on the pavement behind the club flashed through his mind as he glanced back at the door to her room. This had happened because of him; because he hadn’t protected her. He was the one who had brought her into his dangerous and crazy life and he was too selfish to let her go.

He couldn’t be selfish anymore.

Diggle must have seen something on his face because he snorted and leveled him with a look. “You’re an idiot,” he mumbled before walking towards the vending machines just down the hall.

The sun was starting to rise when she finally awoke. Oliver heard the cries from inside her room and was instantly on his feet, ready to go barging in, but held himself back. Diggle was right behind him, trying to see into the room, and Oliver smiled knowing he wasn’t the only one eager to see her.

A few nurses rushed by them before exiting a few minutes later. Those felt like the hardest five minutes of his life as he waited in that hallway. Her parents finally exited the room and immediately caught sight of the men pacing in front of the doorway.

Her father pinned him with a stern look. “She’s asking for you.”

Oliver had to restrain himself from lunging through the door. Instead, he nodded his head and motioned for Diggle to follow as he stepped inside.

The second the door shut behind them, Felicity’s eyes found his, and, for the first time in ten hours, he took a deep breath. His feet felt frozen to the floor as he watched her, almost in unbelief.

Furrowing her brow, she smiled beckoning him forward, but he couldn’t move. Diggle let out a grunt and stepped around him. Oliver watched as they interacted, Diggle giving her a careful hug and peck on the cheek. They spoke in quiet tones before Diggle was at the door again and gave Oliver a light shove in the direction of the bed.

It barely moved him, but it was enough as he heard the click of the door behind him. He was at her side in two steps, his eyes roving over her, making sure she was truly alive and well. Familiar bright blue eyes regarded him with such warmth that he almost couldn’t take it. His hands flexed, aching to reach out and touch her, but he didn’t.

“I won’t break, you know,” she finally whispered, and her voice was slightly hoarse, but hearing it was a balm to Oliver’s battered heart.

His eyes slid shut and he didn’t open them until he felt her hand close over his tightly balled fist.

“You were,” he said after returning his gaze to hers. “You were broken...when we found you.”

A heaving gasp fell from his lips and then he was leaning down, his forehead resting against hers. “I thought I lost you.”

Her fingers tightened around his and she let out a choked sob. “I’m here. And I’m not going anywhere,” she replied.

Oliver thought about her parents earlier conversation, but decided against bringing it up, instead revealing in this intimate moment. Letting go of his hand, she cupped his cheeks and wiped away tears he hadn’t realized he’d shed.

“I’m sorry I scared you,” she murmured, fingertips trailing over his stubble and he leaned into her touch.

He shook his head, “No. I’m the one who told you to go home early. I’m the one who puts you in countless dangerous situations night after night...this is my fault…”

Felicity hushed him, her thumb brushing over his lips and he felt a bolt of desire tear through him at her touch.

Her eyes sparked with a familiar fire, and he smiled inwardly at it. “No, this is not your fault. Do not start blaming yourself for something you couldn’t have predicted. This was random and crazy and it happened. But it’s not your fault, Oliver Queen,” she said, her voice cracking as tears slipped down her face. “I will not let you add me to the list of burdens you carry around.”

“You could never be a burden,” he replied, almost automatically, and before he could stop himself.

She smiled, her face lighting up, and he felt that familiar flutter in his heart. “Glad to hear that,” she replied. “Otherwise I might have to remind you just how many times I’ve saved your ass.”

He chuckled at that, a little more of the tension easing out of him. “That you have.”

Her eyes locked with his and as they stared at each other, he felt a pull coming from the vicinity of his heart. One look at her and he knew she was experiencing a similar feeling.

“Oliver?” she breathed his name, a question hanging in the air as his head dipped closer, his eyes flicking to her lips and then back to hers.

Their mouths were millimeters apart when there was a knock at the door and Oliver jumped back, reluctantly sliding away from Felicity’s hands and moving to stand by the side of her bed. A nurse entered, followed by Dr. O’Neill and Felicity’s parents.

The next half an hour consisted of a thorough exam and a lot of questions. By the time, Officer Lance entered the room, Oliver could tell Felicity was on her last wind. He fought the urge to kick the former detective out of her room.

Felicity’s parents had left to discuss a few things with the doctor and Oliver had stayed by Felicity’s bedside, wanting a few more moments alone with her. Unfortunately, Lance had derailed that plan.

The police officer gave him a wary glance as he walked towards the bed.

“Ms. Smoak,” he greeted her, in a softer voice than Oliver had expected and he watched in interest as an understanding look passed between them. Not for the first time, he wondered what bond had formed between the two that night in the Glades.

“I’m very sorry this happened to you,” he said sincerely, and Oliver could tell he meant every word.

“Thank you,” Felicity replied, trying to sit up a bit straighter in the bed.

“I know this might be hard for you, but I need to get your statement about what happened last night,” he continued, completely ignoring Oliver.

Felicity’s hands tightened into a ball on her lap, but otherwise she showed no outward signs of nervousness. “It’s okay. Ask away.”

Lance threw a sideways look at Oliver who tensed and narrowed his eyes. He knew Lance wanted him to leave, but he wasn’t going anywhere.

Felicity must have seen their shared looks because she reached out a hand toward Oliver which he caught easily in his own. “He can stay,” she whispered, but Oliver noted the slight hesitancy in her voice.

He gave her hand a soft squeeze of reassurance and was rewarded with a small smile.

“Alright,” Lance replied, begrudgingly. “Ms. Smoak, can you tell me what happened last night when you left Verdant at 12:14AM?”

Oliver watched as she swallowed and took a deep breath, her eyes becoming glassy as she remembered. “I...I finished my work with Oliver - we were going over a few things for the meetings the next day while he helped his sister at the club. There was some emergency and he was called away, but my parents were in town and so he told me to go home and get some rest.”

He fisted his free hand into a ball, feeling the tension return to his body - the guilt roaring back to life. Her fingers shifted and intertwined with his as if sensing his internal battle.

She drew in a shaky breath before she continued. “I...I barely heard him come up behind me. I was almost to my car and thinking about my parents...I heard him yell at me to put my hands up and turn around. That’s...that’s when I saw the gun.”

It was Oliver’s turn to provide her comfort, his fingers shifted, his thumb brushing across her palm and down to her wrist.

He watched her eyes flutter shut and a tear slip down her cheek. It took everything in him to not reach out and brush it away.

“He wanted my purse. I gave it to him - I knew nothing in there was worth my life,” she said softly, opening her eyes and looking back at Lance who was frowning.

“But he still shot you?” he asked, trying to piece together the picture of what happened.

Oliver felt her tense; her muscles tightening as her gaze flew to his and then back to Lance. From that brief glance, Oliver saw that she was hiding something. He was suddenly on complete alert, his mind swirling with questions. _Had this all been something to do with Green Arrow? Why was she scared to tell Lance everything?_

Bringing his other hand up, Oliver placed it over their intertwined fingers, holding tight. She looked at him and held his gaze, and he instantly wanted to take away the pain and fear he saw brewing deep within her eyes.

“Ms. Smoak, I know this is hard, but I need to know everything you can remember,” Lance interrupted, and she looked at him before nodding.

“After he had my purse, I thought he was going to leave...but he didn’t,” she whispered, looking down at their joined hands. “He...he recognized me.”

“From where?” Lance asked quickly.

“From the press conferences on tv,” she murmured as a few more tears slipped down her cheeks. “He recognized me as working for Oliver. For the Queens.”

Suddenly, the truth of the situation slammed into Oliver. His whole body tensed, every muscle cording and twisting, ready for action. His gaze cut to hers and he found her already looking at him, begging him not to run. She knew him too well.

“He...he said he lost everything in the earthquake,” she continued, looking back to Lance. “His home. His family…” Her tongue darted out to lick her lips and she took another shaky breath. “He said he didn’t know why all of the Queens weren’t paying for what they’d done. He said they didn’t deserve to be protected - to have people still standing by their side. Like I was...in the press conference.”

Oliver’s eyes slammed shut as a sinking feeling settled in his stomach. His head fell forward and he could feel her hands begin to tremble. He squeezed tighter and she responded in kind.

“He was shaking. His eyes were glazed over like he was on drugs. I tried to talk to him, to explain...but the next thing I heard was the gun going off…”

Oliver stood then, the legs of the chair scraping loudly in the quiet room. His eyes were open wide and both Felicity and Lance were looking at him warily. Felicity tightened her hold on his hand, obviously knowing he wanted to leave but desperate to keep him there. Her eyes found his and pleaded with him.

When he didn’t do anything else, Lance returned his attention to Felicity. “Thank you, Ms. Smoak. I know that wasn’t easy.”

Felicity just nodded her head.

“I wish you a swift recovery,” he added sincerely, reaching out a hand and laying it over her free hand. She smiled weakly.

He was almost out the door when Oliver saw him turn and felt his glare. “Is anyone safe around you?” he threw at him, and Oliver’s jaw twitched, his eyes flashing up to meet the other man’s.

“That’s enough!” Felicity’s voice rang out from behind them. “Officer Lance, I need you to leave. Now.”

The other man disappeared out of the room, leaving Oliver staring at an empty space, anger flowing like a raging sea through his veins. When the door shut behind him, he pulled out of her grasp and stalked to the other side of the room. The guilt ebbed and flowed like tidal waves across his heart and he couldn’t even bear to look at her. It was all his fault. He’d been right. If it wasn’t something to do with Green Arrow, it was just being around him - Oliver Queen. He was a poison to those around him - those he loved.

Loved.

He stalked to the window and placed his hands against the cool frame. Leaning forward, his forehead came to rest against the glass as his eyes slipped shut. Images of Felicity lying in a pool of her own blood crashed against him and he suddenly realized he was shaking.

“Oliver,” her voice broke through the storm clouds that had formed within him. “Oliver, please…”

Her voice was broken, gasping and he turned sharply to find tears spilling down her face. Crossing the distance between them in seconds, he sank down onto the bed beside her. Her hands found his instantly and she clung to them.

“Don’t,” she whispered through her tears. “Don’t do that. I see it you know. I see what you’re doing. We just got finished talking about how you weren’t going to blame yourself…”

“But it’s my fault,” he ground out, a beast inside him roaring to life and wanting to make her see the danger he was to everyone around him. “I’m only going to get you killed if you stay near me. You need to go. Away from me. Far away.”

“You want me to leave?” she gasped, and his heart broken even more at the crack in her voice.

“I want you to live. I want you to be safe,” he bellowed, standing once again, needing to pace, but she refused to let him go - both hands holding his tightly.

“I’m safe with you,” she said, her strong tone such a contrast to her current position. “And it’s not your choice! It’s mine.”

She pulled his hands towards her and soon he was once more sitting on the edge of her bed. “It’s my choice. And I choose this. I choose you.”

His eyes darted to hers, widening with her admission. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips and he could resist reaching out and brushing a thumb over them.

She gasped again, as she had before, and he felt the desire that surged in him, despite their serious conversation.

Trailing his thumb up, he wiped away the errant tears and cupped her cheek. “You’re too good for me.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” she whispered, and this time he couldn’t help but smile back.

He was amazed by this woman - so strong and loyal despite everything he’d put her through. He knew he didn’t deserve her. But he couldn’t make himself let her go either. She’d become a part of him, healing the holes left by the island and teaching him how to trust again.

She yawned and he saw her eyelids drooping. “Sleep,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her temple.

“Will you stay?” she asked as her eyes slipped shut, but he could tell she was waiting for his answer to completely drift off.

“Yes. I’m not going anywhere,” he replied, and it was the truth.

Her parents returned thirty minutes later and he could feel the looks they gave him when they found him seated at her bedside, her hand in his.

Knowing he should let them have some time with her, he gently extracted his hand from hers and moved to the back of the room. He couldn’t bring himself to leave after his promise to her.

Her eyes fluttered open a few minutes later and a wrinkle formed on her forehead as she searched the room. When she saw him, he smiled and nodded to her parents. The worry line disappeared from her forehead and she focused her attention on her mother who was talking.

“Honey, we’ve talked to the doctors and they said you should be able to come home with us in a few days,” Leslie Smoak said, stroking a hand over her daughter’s hair.

Felicity’s brows drew together and her eyes flitted to him and then back to her parents. “What...what are you talking about?” She tried to push herself up on the pillows, but winced at the movement.

Oliver reacted instantly, moving to her side and placing his hands around her back and under her knees, easily lifting her and readjusting her on the bed.

“Thank you,” she murmured, and he smiled softly at her before returning to the back wall.

“Listen, Fletch, I know you don’t want to come home, but your mother and I have discussed this and after what’s happened, we think it would be best for you to come back to the house with us and recover for awhile. After that, if you want to return, we can talk about it then,” her father told her diplomatically.

“What? No!” Felicity cried, her eyes flying to Oliver who stood there unsure of what to do. The little voice in the back of his head kept telling him her parents were right, but his heart and the rest of his body told him she belonged by his side. She seemed to agree with that sentiment.

“Felicity,” her mother said, her tone adopting a warning edge. “You’ve been shot. You almost died. It’s not safe here and you need a chance to heal; someplace safe.”

The incredulous look on her face had hope rising slowly within him.

“I can’t leave,” she tried to reason, “I have a job. Oliver needs…”

Her mother broke then, “He is the one who is responsible for this in the first place,” she cried, and Oliver’s jaw twitched, but it was the only outward sign that her words cut him. She pointed a finger at him and yelled, “You wouldn’t have even been down in the Glades if it weren’t for him. You don’t owe him anything, Felicity! And I’m surprised that you’ve fallen so easily for his obvious game,” her words had turned scathing, but Oliver took it all, deciding he deserved it all. The guilt and failure he’d been feeling at the beginning of the night slowly creeped back in until it was an overwhelming tidal wave.

“Mother,” Felicity croaked, her cheeks flushed and her eyes wide.

“No, I’ve heard and seen enough. Felicity, you have this man as your emergency contact - they would contact him before us. I don’t understand…You barely know him!” She cried, and Oliver saw Felicity freeze as she stared open-mouthed at her mother.

Her eyes darted to his, and he let his own curiosity show.

“I…” she began, her hands twisting in the sheets at her waist. “I wanted someone on there in the city that I knew I could count on - just in case.”

She looked at her parents, “You guys live so far away. If anything bad happened, it would take you at least four hours to get here. And when I started working with Oliver...I just...I trust him. I know he would be there if anything happened to me. And he was.”

Slowly, she brought her gaze to his, and he was taken aback by the emotions flashing across her eyes. “There was no question who to put down, honestly,” she admitted softly. “You were the first person I thought of because I know you would be there if anything happened. I know I can trust you with my life.”

Her words caused pain and joy at the same time. Hearing her talk about how much she trusted him was almost more than he could handle while she was lying injured in a hospital because he hadn’t been there to protect her.

Leslie Smoak shook her head. “This is ridiculous. You can’t even trust him with your heart, much less your life! It’s like I don’t know who you are anymore,” she directed at Felicity.

A pained expression flew through Felicity’s eyes and Oliver took a protective step forward.

“I started to buy into it - the whole idea of you changing,” Leslie Smoak said turning to him, eyes blazing, “But I should have known better. Somehow you’ve got her believing you. You are still the same selfish young man you were years ago. And my daughter deserves better. You told us earlier you would watch out for her - that you would always make sure she was safe. Not three hours later my baby is in a hospital bed!”

Oliver swallowed around the sudden lump in his throat and nodded. “You’re right,” he whispered brokenly.

“Oliver, no!” He barely heard Felicity’s voice past the rushing in his ears and the echoing of her mother’s words.

“Felicity,” Oliver sighed tiredly, ready to admit just how bad he was for Felicity. To tell her to go; to get as far away from him as possible.

But the words got stuck in his throat, and that’s when her father finally spoke up.

“Honey, do you remember when you were little - how you always brought home the injured animals you’d find around the farm? One year it was a rabbit. Another time it was a bird. You even brought home a skunk once. And you’d try to nurse them back to health - to fix them. Only sometimes, honey, you couldn’t, and you’d get your heart broken.” Her father stopped to look at her, and Oliver held his breath having a sinking feeling as to where this was going. “Fletch, you always put your heart into everything you do. It’s something so beautiful about you, but it’s so dangerous. This is no different, and I don’t want to see you get your heart broken again.”

“Dad,” Felicity whispered hoarsely, and Oliver could see the tears in her eyes. “This isn’t the same.”

“Yes, it is, honey,” her mother jumped in. “And you care more than you are willing to admit. And you are going to get your heart broken. It’s just a matter of time…”

“I’d never hurt Felicity,” Oliver stated evenly, hating that everyone was talking about him as though he wasn’t in the room.

“Intentionally, maybe,” Marty cut in. “But your track record isn’t that great when it comes to the people in your life.”

Those words had the same effect as being doused in ice cold water. His muscles tightened, anger sparking at the jab but the little voice in the back of his head whispering that he wasn’t wrong.

“STOP!” Felicity’s voice rang out through the hospital room, and Oliver’s eyebrows reached for the ceiling at the use of her loud voice.

She’d sat up quickly to speak and suddenly her face went pale and cringed with pain. Her eyes screwed shut tightly as she tried to ease back. A cry of pain tore from her throat and Oliver rushed to her side.

His arm banded around her back, and he helped gently lay her back into the bed. Her fingers gripped his arm that had settled around her middle, careful to not press too hard against her abdomen.

“Breathe,” he murmured in her ear, and she let out a long ragged breath before inhaling again.

Oliver withdrew the arm that was around her and pushed some of the stray hairs out of her face. After a few minutes and a few more deep breaths, she opened her eyes.

“Thanks,” she whispered, and leaned her head back against the pillows.

He started to move away, but she held him there, her hand finding his and holding tight.

“This is my life,” she began steadily. “Trust me, I love you guys,” she told her parents. “But this is my home now. This is where I’m needed. And I know you don’t completely understand, but I’m happy here. And you’re wrong about Oliver. He’s not that person anymore. He’s so much more…and he’s my choice.”

He looked at her in complete awe, and she just smiled up at him, bright eyes shining with such confidence he couldn’t and wouldn’t contradict her.

Felicity’s parents had moved to the other side of her bed, and he could tell they didn’t know what to say.

Finally, they nodded as if realizing this was her choice to make, and Felicity let go of Oliver’s hand to reach out to both of them. Deciding to give them some privacy, he quietly exited the room.

Diggle stood outside, his back leaning against the wall, eyebrow arched in question as he held out a cup of coffee. Oliver accepted it gratefully, and he tried to explain to Diggle what had just happened.

Oliver had a room booked for her parents at the hotel across the street, and he insisted they go get some rest later that evening. Felicity was doing better and he promised he would stay with her through the night.

Marty Smoak regarded him long and hard before he headed for the elevator, to the point where Oliver actually wanted to squirm under his gaze. Finally, he held out his hand.

“Someday you’ll understand why we are so protective of her. She’s our baby girl. Please, take care of her,” he said, his voice ragged with the emotions of the day.

Oliver nodded, and took his outstretched hand. “You have my word. I do care for your daughter, sir.”

“I know. And I meant what I said earlier about her heart being involved. It is. You need to know that.”

With that confession hanging in the air between them, Marty walked away down the hall, leaving Oliver in stunned silence.

When he re-entered Felicity’s room, he found her standing by her window, her hands braced on the window sill as she looked out over the city.

“Hey, should you be up?” he asked quietly, not wanting to startle her.

Turning her head to face him, she gave him a tired smile. “The drugs are good,” she replied easily. “Plus, I was tired of laying down.”

He must have still worn a wary look on his face because she tried for a brighter smile. “Really, I’m fine. I’ll tell you when I need to go back to bed. Promise.”

A small hand reached across the distance between them - an open invitation.

He didn’t hesitate. He walked up behind her, clasping one hand in hers and bringing it to rest just abover her injury, fingers twined. His other hand slid up and over her shoulder. A shiver ran through her body at his touch and he tightened his hold on her as she relaxed back against him. Her head fell to his shoulder , just underneath his chin and he sighed as he buried his face against it.

Her fingers that were trailing along his forearms dug into his skin when he released a breath against the back of her neck.

“Oliver…” she breathed, and he lifted his head and rested his chin against her hair. “Oliver….what...what are we? What’s going on...something is...it’s different and I know I can’t be the only one who’s feeling this, and if I am just stop me now so I can go hide under the covers in my bed, but please...I need…”

He shushed her sudden ramble with a kiss to her temple before letting his lips trail against the outside of her ear. “You’re not the only one…”

His voice was low and rumbled from somewhere deep in his chest. He felt her body react to it and he turned her, careful of the IV that was still attached to her arm.

When her eyes met his in the moonlight, he saw how dark they were with need and desire yet filled with hope. Cupping her face in his hands, he watched as they fluttered shut, his thumbs running over her cheekbones and caressing the skin below her eyes.

Turning her head to the right, she pressed an open-mouthed kiss against his palm. The low growl that escaped his throat caused her eyes to snap up to his and he leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he murmured. “But I can’t lose you. I...I want to be selfish. I want to keep you with me because you make me feel again, Felicity. You make me want to be better; to be the man you see when you look at me. And my feelings...for you...they’re not those of a co-worker or a friend...they’re so much more.”

He heard the breath catch in her throat and the lone tear that rolled down her cheek. “You’re not going to lose me. And I trust you. My feelings are definitely not those of a co-worker or friend...unless you have very broad interpretation of the word friend and even then…”

“Good,” he interrupted, stopping her sudden flow of words. Pulling her closer so their lips were almost touching, he gazed steadily into her eyes. “Because I really want to kiss you.”

“Then kiss me,” she murmured.

His head dipped and he brushed his lips against hers, slowly and softly, pulling a moan from her throat. Her hands slid up his chest and she grasped the material of his shirt between her fingers, holding on tightly as he trailed his tongue along the seam of her lips. She gasped, opening beneath him and he felt her go slack against him as he deepened the kiss, his body reacting to her instantly.

When he pulled back, they were both gasping and she leaned her forehead against his chest.

“Wow,” she muttered, and he chuckled.

His hands fanned over her head and down to her shoulders, rubbing soothing circles against her nightgown. He felt her begin to relax against him and knew she was probably exhausted.

“Come on,” he breathed against her ear as he lifted her with ease and walked her back to the bed.

Carefully, he laid her on the mattress, making sure she was in a comfortable position, and her IV was hooked up again before stepping back to find the chair and sitting down.

“One of these nights, I want you to hold me and not just my hand,” she murmured sleepily, her eyes still closed, and Oliver chuckled as a sudden warmth spread throughout him.

“I will,” he promised, kissing her knuckles as he settled into the chair. “I promise.”

“I’m going to hold you do that,” she slurred before her breathing evened out and she fell asleep.

Oliver stared at her, revelling in the fact that this amazing, beautiful, intelligent woman was choosing to stay by him despite everything she’d been through. She was choosing him.

With that thought, he drifted off, his a few more of the holes in his heart being filled with her love.


End file.
